Trailer with hydraulic lift



Feb. 6, 1951 M. COEUR TRAILER WITH HYDRAULIC LIFT 2 Sheets-Sheet l Ifiiled Feb. 25, 1948 Ila/enter Mel Coeur Feb. 6, 1951 M. COEUR 2,540,100

TRAILER WITH HYDRAULIC LIFT Filed Feb. 25, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 2l 1/ l ,3 5 6 I 6 lg. 20 3 2/ 3 24 34 l 25 23 35 i I L L 22 ,7 T 30 I8 I 38 I0 37 I2 I4 15 Mel oeur JNVENTOR.

Attorneys Patented Feb. 6, 1951 UNITED STAT ES PATENT OFFICE 2,540,100 TRAILER WITH HYDRAULIC LIFT Mel'Coeur, Galveston, Tex.

Application February 25, 1948,;Serial N 0.10,,722

z-(llai-ms. 1 This invention relates toimprovements in trailers provided with hydraulic lifts at either side thereof.

Anobiect of the invention is to provide an improved trailerconstruction in which hydraulic lifts areprov'ide'd whereby the trailer body may be lowered to near groundlevel for loading, and thenthe hydraulic lifts" may be operated tor-aise the trailer body to its elevated ortravelling position.

Another objectoftheinvention is to provide an improved trailer construction having a U- shape rotatably supported axle with wheel supporting spindles extending outwardly in opposite directions. at the outer ends thereof, together with hydraulic lifts at the opposite sides of the trailer ,body connected respectively to the trailer body "and tothesidearms-o-f-the U'shape axle, whereby the trailer body-maybelowered to near the ground level while loading, and raised b-y means :of said hydraulic lifts to its elevated or travelling position after the loading operation has .been completed.

the U-shape axle and hydraulic lift and strut supported by the bracket attached to the side of the trailer body with said body in elevated or travelling position;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of th inverted L-shape brackets attachable to the opposite sides of the trailer body;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the improved trailer;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure "1, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of one form of reinforcing strut used for supporting the trailer body when in elevated or travelling position.

Lik characters of reference are used throughout the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided an improved form of trailer generallydesignated by thereference numeral l including a substantially rectangular body having opposite sid'es-Zand 3 and opposite ends 4 and 5-, the-same being suitably reinforced by the spaced vertical batten strips if.

A forwardly extending centrally disposed tongue I is secured to the trailerbody I by means 'ofthe bolts 8, and is formed with a ball-9 on its forward endfor attaching the trailer I to a suitable trailer hitch (not shown) disposed upon an automobile (also not shown).

T'ransversely spaced split bearings Ill and II are secured to the bottom of the trailer body I, and rotatably support the base portion I2 of the U-shape axle, whose side arms I3 and I4 extend rearwardly, terminating in the outwardly extending spindles I5 and I6 upon which the rubber tired wheels I! and [8 are rotatably mounted.

Inverted L-shape brackets 20 and 2I are secured. in any desired manner to the opposite sides 2 and 3 of the trailer body I, and'are reinforced by the integrally formed spaced vertical webs 22.

Hydraulic cylinders 23 are formed with attaching ears 24 on their upper ends and are adapted to be pivotally supported upon the pins 25 between the spaced depending ears 26 formed on the brackets 20 and 2|. Flexible conduits 21 are attached to the upper and inner ends of the on the upper ends of the lugs 32 formed.- on the side arms I3 and Id of the U-shape axles.

Metal struts or strut members 33 having forked upper ends 34 are adapted to be disposed over the depending ears 35 on the brackets 20 and H, and are pivotally mounted upon the pins 36 extending through said forked ends 34 and the ears 35.

The lower ends of the struts 33' may seat upon the terminal ends of the side arms I3 and I4 of the U-shape axle, or they may be apertured and disposed between the upstanding spaced ears 31 on said arms I3 and I4, and be secured thereto by means of the pins 38.

In operation, when it is desired to load the trailer I, the hydraulic fluid will be exhausted from the hydraulic cylinders 23 and the body of the trailer I will be lowered to the position as shown in dotted lines in Figure l of the drawings. In this position, should animals such as hogs or sheep be loaded into the trailer body, they may readily walk directly into the open rear end of the'body without having to walk up any form or type of ramp.

body will be supported in substantially level position.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that there has been devised and provided a highly eflicient form of trailer with hydraulic lift, which may be readily manufactured at a relatively low cost.

While the preferred embodiment of the instant invention has been illustrated and de- .scribed, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto, as many minor changes in detail of construction may be resorted to withoutdeparture from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A hydraulic lift for trailers comprising a U-shaped axle rotatably carried by a trailer and having laterally extending wheel supporting spindles on the terminal ends of said axle, L

shaped brackets fixed to the sides of a trailer and including reinforcing webs, forward and rear' ears depending from the shorter leg of each of said brackets, further ears carried by the legs of said axle, strut members between said further ears and said rear ears, cylinders pivoted to the vforward ears, pistons positioned-in said cylinders for reciprocable movement, hydraulic means connected to said cylinders for operating said pistons, and rods carried by the said pistons and 4 including free ends projecting from said cylinders, the leg portions of said axle having recesses therein for receiving the free ends of said rods.

2. A hydraulic lift for trailers comprising a U-shaped axle rotatably carried by a trailer and having laterally extending wheel supporting spindles on the terminal ends of said axle, L- shaped brackets fixed to the sides of a trailer and including reinforcing WBbS', forward and rear ears depending from the shorter leg of each of said brackets, further ears carried by the'legs of said axle, elongated strut members having first and second end portions, pivot pins securing the first end portions of said strut members to said further ears, cylinders pivoted to said forward ears, pistons positioned in said cylin- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 184,283 Forbes Nov. 14, 1876 489,628 Colleret Jan. 10, 1893 1,557,115 Stevenson Oct. 13, 1925 1,610,881 Reinsch Dec. 14, 1926 1,941,143 Wickersham Dec. 26, 1933 1,975,119 Oates Oct. 2, 1934 2,061,025 Dwork Nov. 17, 1936 2,179,477 Berendsen Nov. 14, 1939 2,227,762 Ronning Jan. 7, 194-1 2,229,352 Thannhauser muh Jan. 21, 1941 2,328,849 Schoelm Sept. 

